Tag Archives: Burbank Bulldogs

James Williams still has lots of playing time left at Washington State University.

The redshirt sophomore and former Burbank High star running back made a significant impact last season and his coach and teammates have even higher expectations for him this season.

Head coach Mike Leach, fellow running back Jamal Morrow and linebacker Peyton Pelluer were on hand for Pacific-12 Conference Football Media Day Thursday at Hollywood and Highland to share their thoughts about Williams and the Cougars’ upcoming season. Washington State opens its season Sept. 3 at home against Montana State, the first of five consecutive home games. The Cougars will not play any regular season games in Southern California this season.

After going 8-5 last season, Washington State has many returners, led by quarterback Luke Falk. Also included are his top three in the backfield, where Williams shared time with seniors Morrow and Gerard Wicks. Last season Williams had 102 carries for 584 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He also had 48 receptions for 342 yards and one touchdown. His 953 all-purpose yards were second on the team behind Morrow’s 1,063.

“He’s a focused guy. If you’re in a bad mood, just hang around James. He’s always in a good mood,” Leach said. “He plays hard and works hard. The most important thing is he really loves football. James is real talented. I think he’s going to get better and better and better. He got a lot of reps last year and I think he’ll get even more this year.”

Pelleur said he is glad he doesn’t have to play against Williams on Saturdays.

Burbank High’s James Williams should have another big season at Washington State. (photo courtesy of Washington State University).

“I can tell you first hand that he is tough to tackle. He’s probably the slipperiest player we have on the team,” the senior linebacker said. “He gives me a headache and makes me look foolish sometimes. But he makes everyone better because of how hard he plays and how hard he runs. We’re definitely fortunate to have him on our team. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do this year. He’s had a great summer so far. He had a great spring as well. We’re excited to see him make moves on opponents instead of us for once.”

Morrow, who has shared playing time with Williams, said he likes many things about the former Bulldog.

“James is a character. He’s always going to make you laugh,” Morrow said. “You could have a bad day and you see James and you’ve got to smile when you see him. He brings a certain energy to our running back group. He’s a funny guy. You have to love him, especially the stuff he does on the field. Like the Oregon State play when he had two spin moves on one play and I was like ‘wow’. He’s definitely going to be a stud in this conference.”

Even though Morrow has more experience, he said he has learned from Williams.

“You just can’t tackle the kid. He’s always going to make the first guy miss,” Morrow said. “You look at the stuff he does and you’re like let me try to incorporate that into my game.”

Leach said he has liked some of the things he has seen from Williams in practice, even dating back to last season. Williams redshirted his true freshman year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee as a senior at Burbank.

He (went) out there as a freshman and he’s kind of showing up some of the older defensive players,” Leach said of some practices. “They tried to hit him hard. He wasn’t even aware of it. He wasn’t aware that they were ticked off at him.”

James Williams while at Burbank High.

Leach said Williams played with a broken hand last season, but was still used in passing situations.

“I got worried about it, but he hit the club hand and he’d catch it anyway,” Leach said.

Morrow said he has seen Williams grow in so many ways in the two years he has known him.

“That redshirt year helped him a lot. He got his strength back and his confidence back,” Morrow said. “If you would have seen him when he first got up here, he was like thinking too much. He wasn’t sure. He was thinking about his knee. He came back that spring and had one of the greatest springs I’ve seen since I’ve been up here. In the summer, he’s looking fast and strong. We expect big things from him this year.”

Burbank will be looking for a share of the league title with a win and a Crescenta Valley loss to Arcadia. It would create a three-way tie for first place. Burroughs has an outside shot at a playoff berth with a win.

“BIG GAME”

67 Meetings

1949 – 2015

Burroughs leads Burbank, 42-25

1949 – Burbank 12, Burroughs 7. The “Big Game” made its debut in 1949. Former junior high and first year high school, John Burroughs, made what was supposed to be an easy Burbank victory a hard fought battle. The stronger Bulldog team prevailed, however, paced by Pete LiPera who later became head coach at Burbank, and Paul Cameron, who later starred at UCLA.

1950 – Burroughs 6, Burbank 0. Burroughs avenged the previous year’s loss on a rain drenched field as Louie Elias went 41 yards through “Lake Memorial” for the only score of the game. He later recalled that the rivalry was already intense even though it was only two years old.

1951 – Burbank 28, Burroughs 12. Having already won the Foothill League Championship, the Bulldogs could have let down and been upset; but showing true championship caliber, overpowered the Indians.

1952 – Burbank 33, Burroughs 0. The Bulldogs were led by Bob McCalmont and shut out the Indians for their second straight series win.

1953 – Burroughs 7, Burbank 0. Paced by a 44 yard touchdown run by Maurice Elias, brother of Louie, Burroughs returned the previous year’s favor, scoring their second series shutout.

1954- Burroughs 49, Burbank 0. Again paced by Maurice Elias, who set a then single game school record of 162 yards rushing, the Indians recorded their second straight and third overall series shutout. This stands as the most one-sided victory in the series.

1955 – Burbank 20, Burroughs 14. On their way to a probable playoff berth, the Indians overlooked the Bulldogs and were knocked out of the playoffs. Steve Searock and Bill Reed led the Bulldogs who were under the guidance of rookie coach Ham Lloyd, whose squad included John Lockwood who later became head coach at Burbank.

1956 – Burbank 18, Burroughs 0. The Bulldogs scored their second shutout of the series in a battle for the Foothill League title (first time in the series). Played before an estimated crowd of 11,000 people, the Bulldogs were quarterbacked by Bob Alfred and paced by Fred Tunnicliffe, whose nephew, Tom, would later start at both schools, winning CIF Player of the Year as a senior at Burroughs.

1957 – Burroughs 28, Burbank 19. In another rookie coaching victory, Leon Shortenhaus guided the Indians, led by Bob Hand, to the victory. Playing for Burroughs was Pete Lubisich, who would later go on to play at USC.

1958 – Burbank 32, Burroughs 0. Posting their third series shutout the Bulldogs were led by the three touchdown performance of Tom Pulford. Tom, whose son, Darrin, also played for the Bulldogs, is one of the many players to have relatives also compete in the series.

1959 – Burroughs 19, Burbank 0. Trading shutouts again, the Indians scored their fourth win with an assist from Burbank, who was forced to use many J.V. players after having 19 of the varsity members declared ineligible for the game for “egging” the mural over the Burroughs Auditorium. Conde Lick and Brent Vance led the Indians with a TD each.

1960 – Burroughs 19, Burbank 7. Indian coach Leon Shortenhaus closed out his coaching career at Burroughs with a 3-1 record in the “Big Game”, beginning and ending with a victory.

1961 – Burbank 25, Burroughs 13. In the fourth of his 22 seasons as a coach at Burroughs, and first as Head Coach, Bob Dunivant watched his Indians and the Bulldogs battle to a 7-7 tie into the third quarter, only to see the Tribe fumble three times in the second half, helping Burbank to the victory.

1962 – Burbank 34, Burroughs 0. Also beginning and ending his coaching career with a victory, Ham Lloyd posted a 5-3 “Big Game” record with this win in his final game. Phil Culotta scored three touchdowns to pace the Bulldogs to their fourth series shutout and came up just points short of the CIF scoring championship, losing to Steve Grady of Loyola who scored five touchdowns the same evening.

1963 – Burbank 14, Burroughs 7. Burroughs finally ended a string of seven straight shutout losses since the second game of the season but were unable to contain the Bulldogs’ Gerry Altman, whose 100 yards helped Burbank to its third straight series win.

1964 – Burroughs 27, Burbank 7. The Bulldogs’ Tom Paggi set a school record with a 74 yard run from scrimmage for one of his two touchdowns on the night but Burroughs snapped a three game losing streak to Burbank.

1965 – Burroughs 19, Burbank 0. The Indians notched their fifth series shutout. Bob McCorkle, who passed or ran for a then school record 17 touchdowns on the year, hit Mike Erickson for one touchdown and while playing defense, picked off a Bulldog aerial and returned it 78 yards (also a school record) for another score.

1966 – Burroughs 19, Burbank 0. Posting its sixth series and fourth season shutout, Burroughs coasted to its favorite score in the rivalry (the Indians have won three 19-0 “Big Games”), and third consecutive series victory.

1967 – Burbank 20, Burroughs 19. Undefeated going into the game, the Indians again scored 19 points. Burbank, however, on the 173 yard passing of Dale Cirscione and the 85 yard fumble recovery of Randy Ivie for a touchdown, scored 20 for one of the biggest upsets in the series. The win prevented Burroughs from going ahead, for the first time, in the rivalry.

1968 – Burbank 20, Burroughs 13. The Bulldogs again scored 20 points, led by Bill Johnson who scored all three touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards.

1969 – Burbank 44, Burroughs 8. Dan Flavin passed for four touchdowns and John Minor rushed for 91 yards for the Bulldogs. The game was so dominated by Burbank that the only Indian score came on a 95 yard kickoff return by Jess Talamantes which remained a school record until 1978. Burbank again won three in a row versus Burroughs.

1970 – Burroughs 15, Burbank 12. In a well played game, Bulldog star John Minor scored both touchdowns and rushed for 152 yards, only to see his heavily favored team lose to a fired up Indian squad. Burroughs was led by QB Tim Molina who passed for 113 yards and threw two touchdowns to Bruce Wallace. Jess Talamantes rushed for 111 yards.

1971 – Burroughs 17, Burbank 13. Jeff Budrick and John Funk scored the two Indian touchdowns. Quarterback Tom Lawson completed 19 passes, 10 to Scott Nelson for 117 yards, all of which were single game Indian records at the time. Bob Mendoza booted a 29 yard field goal to seal the victory.

1972 – Burbank 14, Burroughs 0. Burbank notched their fifth shutout in the series as quarterback Leo Orange and Kenny Walker scored the two Bulldog touchdowns. The game was played for the Foothill League title, and with the victory, Burbank knocked the Indians out of a playoff berth. Jim Galbraith caught seven passes in a fine effort for the Indians, who went on to shut out Burbank the next three games. The Bulldogs won their fourth league title and would not win another one for the next 37 years (2009).

1973 – Burroughs 6, Burbank 0. Burroughs tied Crescenta Valley for the league title with their seventh series shutout and went into the CIF Playoffs for only the second time in school history. Jerry Howell scored the games only touchdown played in pouring rain at “Lake Memorial”. Indians’ quarterback Curtis Ilhe and wide receiver Randy Simmrin were the inspirational leaders on the team. Simmrin later starred for USC and played for Buffalo and Tampa Bay in the NFL.

1974 – Burroughs 36, Burbank 0. A boisterous crowd of 12,000 fans came to Memorial Field to witness Burroughs dominate the helpless Bulldogs. Burbank could have tied the Indians for first place in the Foothill League with a win, but were dominated as Burroughs recorded their second consecutive and eighth series shutout, holding the Bulldogs to 36 total yards. All-CIF quarterback Tom Miller passed for three touchdowns and 179 yards, mostly to wide receivers Bob Frishette, Hans Anderson and Kirk Morales. Tony De Felicis, Joe Mersola, Mike McDonald and Ron Wollard all contributed in the convincing win. The Indians went on to post an 11-1 record, tied with the 1979 team for the best record ever, and advanced to the CIF Quarterfinals.

1975 – Burroughs 40, Burbank 0. Burroughs took the series lead for the first time ever, 14-13, with their ninth series shutout and third consecutive over Burbank. The game also marked Bulldog coach Pete LiPera’s last contest. The rout was highlighted by All-CIF linebacker Mike McDonald, who later played at USC and for the Rams, returning an interception for 67 yards as the Indians finished their first regular season under Craig Bell at 8-1.

1976 – Burbank 17, Burroughs 14. Burbank avoided a fourth consecutive Burroughs win by upsetting the Indians on a 41-yard field goal by George Florez on the last play of the game. The kick was set up by an interception with 17 seconds left by Rich Good who ran it back 46 yards to the 24-yard line. This was Good’s second pick of the night, both of which set up two Burbank scores for the game. Al Penaranda and George Williams, both of whom had brothers who later played for Burroughs, scored the two Indian touchdowns, while the Bulldogs were paced by Denny Caira.

1977 – Burroughs 40, Burbank 10. Burbank surprised everyone by taking a 10-7 lead into the locker room at halftime but the Indians roared back in the second half with a fine passing performance by quarterback Dean Townsend. Mike Pate intercepted a pass for the Indians for a touchdown. George Williams, Lupe Yanez and Reuben Torres also scored for the Indians. The defense was sparked by the play of linebacker Jeff Fitzgerald. The game marked the return of Bob Dunivant as head coach of Burroughs.

1978 – Burroughs 28, Burbank 16. Burbank, led by Tom Tunnicliffe who passed for 182 yards, again came out on the short end of the score. Lincoln Simonds scored three Indian touchdowns and the defense, led by Nick Manocchia, held the Bulldogs to six yards rushing and sacked Tunnicliffe seven times for a loss of 67 yards.

1979 – Burroughs 33, Burbank 12. In a unique twist of events, Burroughs, now quarterbacked by Tom Tunnicliffe, who transferred from Burbank, the Indians went into the game rated the number one team in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, Southern California, the State and the Nation. The Bulldogs put up a strong fight, scoring 12 points against a team that had badly beaten the previous #1 team, St. Paul, 27-12, and allowed only one touchdown to four previous Foothill League opponents, outscoring them 152-7. The Indians were paced by the 191 yards rushing of Edgar Penaranda and Tunnicliffe’s 123 yards passing while the defense held Burbank to 90 total yards. Burroughs finished the season 11-1 (tied with the 1974 team for the best record ever) and advanced to the CIF Quarterfinals. Head Coach Bob Dunivant would later step aside from his coaching duties.

1980 – Burroughs 25, Burbank 17. Taking a four game lead with their fourth consecutive win in the “Big Game” series, a first for either school, the Indians also knocked the Bulldogs out of a playoff berth while recording their fourth consecutive Foothill League Title, also unprecedented in the history of the league. Led by the rushing of Edgar Penaranda and Rick Williams, plus the passing of Gary English, the Indians managed to hold off a stubborn Burbank team, led by the rushing of Eric Burcham. The Indians went on to the CIF Semifinals.

1981 – Burroughs 44, Burbank 21. Burroughs jumped out to a 30-7 halftime lead on the passing and rushing of quarterback Rich Strasser (34 and 87 yard touchdown completions) and the rushing of Paul Kibala and Joe D’Alessio. The Indians would advance to their first-ever CIF Finals and finish as runner-ups while winning their fifth consecutive league title.

1982 – Burroughs 42, Burbank 6. Burbank took to an early lead, going 55 yards on 11 plays to take a 6-0 advantage midway through the first quarter. The Indians, behind the rushing of Bret Mersola, Jeff Markland and Eli Montemayor, finally got on track and cruised to a rather easy victory. It was Burroughs’ sixth consecutive win over Burbank.

1983 – Burbank 24, Burroughs 21. In one of the more exciting games of the series, the Bulldogs opened the scoring with a one yard run by Derek Trabilcy. The lead changed hands several times in the game until late in the fourth quarter when Burroughs tied the score on a 61 yard pass from Sean Spring to Bret Mersola. Burbank, led by QB Gary Lotka, took their last possession of the game and marched down the field to the Indian 10, and lined up for a field goal with less than 10 seconds on the clock. The first Bulldog attempt was deflected and went wide, but the Indians were called for defensive holding on the play. After the penalty was assessed, Alfredo Velasco nailed his second attempt from 21 yards out with no time showing on the clock for a dramatic, upset victory for the Bulldogs. The win snapped the six “Big Game” winning streak of the Indians.

1984 – Burbank 28, Burroughs 0. Quarterback Gary Lotka threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns on 18 of 23 passing and led the Bulldogs to their second consecutive victory in the series and their first playoff berth since 1977. It is Burbank’s first shutout of the Indians since 1972 and sixth in the series. Lotka’s efforts cement his name in “Big Game” lore and he went on to win the Most Valuable Player of the Foothill League.

1985 – Burbank 14, Burroughs 10. For the first time since 1967-69, the Bulldogs win their third straight “Big Game” behind the leadership of quarterback Sal Velasco. Burbank overcame a 10-7 deficit as Velasco hit wide receiver Robert Jarrin with what proved to be the game winning pass on the first possession of the second half. The Bulldogs marched 69 yards in seven plays and the defense shut out the Indians the rest of the way.

1986 – Burroughs 33, Burbank 26. In his return to the sideline for the first time since he left coaching in 1979, Bob Dunivant led the Indians to victory and snapped the three-game winning streak of the Bulldogs in the rivalry. After trailing 14-12 at the half, the Indians took the lead at 19-14 entering the fourth. The Indians’ Danny Cusumano scored from two yards out to make it 26-14. Quarterback Jeff Barrett led the Indians with 177 yards and two touchdowns.

1987 – Burroughs 41, Burbank 0. Quarterback Jeff Barrett shined on offense as he completed 11 of 16 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns. He even rushed for two more touchdowns. Burbank’s Gabe Jimenez ran for 118 yards on 24 carries and was the lone bright spot for the Bulldogs. Burroughs won their tenth series shutout and first vs. the Bulldogs since 1975. The Indians would eventually reach the CIF Finals and finish as runner-ups as they did in 1981.

1988 – Burroughs 31, Burbank 15. The magic of former head coach Bob Dunivant was evident again as he helped head coach Butch McElwee lead the Indians to victory. Having the headsets on again for only the third time in the season, Dunivant surprised Burbank by calling a reverse, flea-flicker for a 65 yard completion early in the game to spark the victory.

1990 – Burroughs 20, Burbank 7. Sean McDermott rushed for 183 yards on 23 carries and scored a touchdown as the Indians defeated the Bulldogs for the fifth consecutive year. Ben Goldwasser added a touchdown and Eddie Gavilan had an interception for Burroughs.

1991 – Burbank 14, Burroughs 12. The Brenes brothers led the Bulldogs to victory and halted the Indians winning streak in the series at five games. Steve carried 19 times for 123 yards and Frank scored both Burbank touchdowns en route to 72 yards on 14 attempts. DB Mike Lyneis made a diving interception of a Marco Esquivel pass at the Bulldog 15 to clinch the win.

1992 – Burbank 21, Burroughs 17. Down 17-14, Bulldog quarterback Brian Casey completed a 30 yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Kendricks Lewis with 53 seconds left to give Burbank the four point victory. Bulldog running back Hector Valencia, who later would become head coach at Burbank, scored on a 56 yard run up the left sideline to put Burbank up 7-3 late in the first quarter. Burbank increased their lead to 14-3 only to see the Indians come back and take the lead. Burbank wouldn’t be denied as they took their second straight “Big Game”.

1993 – Burroughs 31, Burbank 6. After finishing 0-10 a year ago, the Indians completed their turn around with a decisive win that sent them to the playoffs for the first time since 1989. Eddie Melgar rushed for 115 yards and scored three touchdowns as Indian head coach Gary Bernardi earned his first win in the “Big Game” and snapped the brief two game winning streak for Burbank in the series. This win began a run of 10 consecutive victories for Burroughs over their hated rivals.

1994 – Burroughs 17, Burbank 13. The Indians scored the winning touchdown on a four yard pass from Mike Barrett to Tony Listro with 7:05 left in the game. Carlos Moreno ran for 134 yards on 28 carries as Burroughs stormed back from a 13-3 halftime deficit. Burbank’s Carlos Baker rushed for 121 yards on 21 carries.

1995 – Burroughs 21, Burbank 0. In a game that will be remembered for ending early due to a brawl with 3:21 left, Indians quarterback J.K. Scott led the way completing 9 of 15 passes for 166 yards. Wide receiver Glenn Adriatico caught three passes for 69 yards, including a 23 yard pass from Scott that gave Burroughs their final touchdown. Burbank was last shut out in the “Big Game” in 1987 and it marked Burroughs’ eleventh series shutout. The Indians defeated the Bulldogs for the third straight time.

1996 – Burroughs 35, Burbank 6. Quarterback J.K. Scott completed 16 of 29 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns as the offense continued to put up big numbers and the defense was led by Danny Kang who had two interceptions, two sacks and a forced fumble. Scott would later take his talents to the University of Washington.

1997 – Burroughs 29, Burbank 14. Glenn Adriatico finished his illustrious prep career catching an 89 yard TD pass from quarterback Chris Santoyo and added an 11 yard TD run too as Burroughs won their fifth straight in the series. Adriatico completed his career with 199 receptions for 3,069 yards. The Indians jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and never looked back in Bulldogs alum Keith Knoop’s first “Big Game” as head coach for Burroughs.

1998 – Burroughs 26, Burbank 21. In the 50th meeting of the “Big Game”, wide receiver Kyle Cremarosa caught eight passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Indians to victory. Burroughs quarterback Joe Kroells completed 11 of 20 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns as the Indians took an 18-7 halftime lead and held off Burbank. Alan Gutierrez led the Bulldogs with 161 yards on 32 carries.

1999 – Burroughs 35, Burbank 14. The Indians won their seventh consecutive game (longest in the series) over the Bulldogs by overpowering them from the very start. Jonathan Overturf scored on an 83 yard trick play on the first play from scrimmage in the game. Randy Beckmann and Michael Perez added a touchdown apiece and Spencer Steward caught a TD pass from Joe Kroells as Burroughs rolled to victory. The game marked the 1000th point ever scored by the Indians against the Bulldogs in their storied rivalry.

2000 – Burroughs 54, Burbank 36. The Indians’ Mike Perez rushed for 214 yards on 31 carries including a 57 yard TD run with less than a minute to play. Teammate Lonn Salmon threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns on 6 of 10 passing. Burroughs’ 54 points set a record for most points scored by one team in the “Big Game” and the 90 points combined was also a record.

2001 – Burroughs 38, Burbank 21. Mike Perez rushed for 84 yards on 12 carries and scored two touchdowns and Gabriel Moise Jr. picked up a fumble and rumbled 88 yards down the field for the clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter. Trailing 26-21, Burbank was driving deep into Indian territory only to have the turnover. Moise’s score made it 32-21 and it ended any hope of a Bulldog win. Perez reached the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season. He also had an 80 yard touchdown reception in the game.

2002 – Burroughs 43, Burbank 31. The Indians had a commanding 30-7 lead early in the third quarter behind the play of quarterback David Brooks, who rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns. However, Bulldog signal caller Mike McDonald, son of former Burroughs star Mike McDonald Sr., rallied his team to within 37-31 with 3:51 to play on a TD pass to Rico Clark. Burbank was on the drive again looking for the win when Burroughs’ Darrel Ditri intercepted a pass and returned it 55 yards for a score with 24 seconds to play to cap the win. This marked the tenth consecutive win in the series for Burroughs and the longest such streak in the “Big Game”.

2003 – Burbank 24, Burroughs 18. Finally! The Bulldogs snapped the 10 game “Big Game” winning streak of Burroughs as Mike McDonald finished 14 of 28 for 203 yards and three touchdowns. McDonald connected with Jesse Ayers on an 11 yard TD pass with 3:28 to play which turned out to be the decisive score.

2004 – Burbank 26, Burroughs 12. Jason Barbic did it all for Burbank in their second consecutive “Big Game” win over the Indians. Barbic rushed for 50 yards in six carries and a TD, caught two passes for 108 yards and threw a 13 yard touchdown pass. Mike McDonald finished his “Big Game” career completing 7 of 11 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

2005 – Burroughs 35, Burbank 28. As Mike Perez did back in 2000, the Indians’ Thomas Kyle put his team on his back and rushed for 249 yards on 32 carries and a pair of touchdowns, including a 62 yarder that put Burroughs ahead 26-14 early in the third quarter. Burbank’s Robert Linda completed 16 of 36 passes for 283 yards and a score. The Indians regained control of the series after Burbank had won back to back contests the previous two years.

2006 – Burroughs 24, Burbank 6. First Mike Perez, then Thomas Kyle. Now Joe Wiggan. He did it all in a convincing manner as he rushed for 288 yards on 47 carries and scored two touchdowns. Wiggan rushed for 178 yards in the second half alone. The Indians scored 24 unanswered points to defeat the Bulldogs who could have shared the league title with a win. Led by head coach Keith Knoop, Burroughs finished the regular season with a 9-1 mark and 7-0 in Pacific League play, its first league title since 1981.

2007 – Burroughs 30, Burbank 20. The Indians rallied from a 13-0 first quarter deficit and scored the game’s next 23 points to lead 23-13 late in the third quarter. After a Bulldog touchdown with 4:39 left in the game trimmed the Burroughs lead to 23-20, Indians’ tailback Dominique Barnes scored on a 27 yard run to seal the victory. Barnes finished with 149 yards in 16 carries as Burroughs won their third straight in the series.

2008 – Burroughs 58, Burbank 22. Following in the legendary footsteps of Indians’ Mike Perez, Thomas Kyle and Joe Wiggan, Dominique Barnes put on a performance of a lifetime in the 60threndition of the “Big Game”. Barnes rushed for 304 yards, a school record, on 23 carries and scored five touchdowns to lead the Indians to the dominating win. The 58 points scored by Burroughs set a “Big Game” scoring record for one team. Barnes scored on touchdowns runs of seven, 20, 48, 85 and nine yards. In the process, Barnes set the school record for most points scored in a season by a player. The Indians won their fourth straight in the series. On a historic note, Burbank made the CIF playoffs and won their first playoff game since 1927, a stretch that lasted 81 years. 1927 also marked the year when Burbank won its first league title.

2009 – Burbank 28, Burroughs 21. The Bulldogs snapped a four game losing streak vs. Burroughs and in the process won their first league title in 37 years! (1972 the last) Before 8,800 fans, these two teams clashed in a thrilling contest. It marked the first time in the 61 year history of competing against each other that both teams finished as co-champions together(each team finished with identical 6-1 records in the Pacific League. For Burbank, it was their fifth league title. Burroughs won their tenth league title the previous week). After Dalton Williams gave the Indians a 21-20 lead on a 79-yard touchdown dash down the Burroughs’ sideline late in the third quarter, Burbank’s Ulises Ochoa scored on a one yard touchdown run with 5:36 remaining in the game to give the Bulldogs a 28-21 advantage that they would not relinquish. Williams led Burroughs with 203 yards rushing while Ochoa ran for 127. Burbank quarterback Adam Colman completed 14 of 23 passes for 174 yards and teammate Jackson Diamond caught 10 passes for 111 yards and was rewarded with the game ball by first-year head coach and Bulldog alum, Hector Valencia. Burbank finished its season with a school-record tying nine wins (9-3) and advanced to the CIF quarterfinals for a second consecutive season.

2010 – Burroughs 38, Burbank 35. In front of a boisterous crowd of 9,000 die-hard Indian and Bulldog fans, Burroughs mounted the greatest comeback in “Big Game” history and defeated arch-rival Burbank, 38-35, on a last-second field goal to win a share of the Pacific League title for the second consecutive season. Amidst an electric atmosphere that only this rivalry could produce, the Indians rallied from a dire 28-0 deficit early in the second quarter and stunned Burbank when junior Cristobal Escobar kicked a 20 yard field goal as time expired to cap off one of the greatest games in “Big Game” annals. Trailing 35-21 early in the fourth quarter, the Indians scored back to back touchdowns to tie the game. After forcing Burbank to punt with 1:15 to play, Burroughs quarterback Lucas Yanez completed three passes to set up Escobar’s game winning field goal. Burroughs fans rushed the field to celebrate as all of us bore witness to the last “Big Game” to be played at venerable Memorial Stadium. Yanez completed 14 of 26 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 63 yards while his twin brother Tyler Yanez caught eight passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Burbank’s Ulises Ochoa finished with game-highs of 188 yards on 34 carries and three touchdowns (two rushing, one interception). Burroughs would go on to defeat El Rancho in the first round of the CIF playoffs and advance to the quarterfinals, their first postseason win since 1987.

2011 – Burroughs 34, Burbank 7. In the first-ever “Big Game” played outside the city limits, John Burroughs won their third consecutive Pacific League title with a 34-7 victory over Burbank. Due to the ongoing renovation of Memorial Stadium, the 63rd “Big Game” was played at Arcadia High School. More than 5,000 fans traveled to the game to witness a rushing performance like none other in “Big Game” lore. Indians’ star tailback Zander Anding broke the single-game “Big Game” rushing record with 349 yards on 29 carries and four touchdowns. Anding’s 73-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave Burroughs a 14-7 halftime lead. His 46-yard TD late in the fourth quarter cemented the win and gave the Indians back to back city bragging rights over the rival Bulldogs. It was Anding’s fifth 300 yard-plus effort of the season. He finished the regular season with 2,453 yards rushing which is not only the best single-season mark in the school’s history, but the best single-season mark in Pacific League history as well. He also has scored 25 rushing touchdowns and 29 touchdowns overall heading into the CIF playoffs. Burroughs claimed their fourth league title in the last six years (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011), their twelfth in their storied history and have won three consecutive league titles for the first time since 1977-1981 when they won five straight championships.

2012 – Burbank 37, Burroughs 14. After a year hiatus away from the city of Burbank, the 64th “Big Game” returned to venerable Memorial Stadium which received a facelift in 2011. Before 8,000 die-hard football fans, Burbank won the cross-town matchup with a dominating 37-14 effort for its first win in the series since 2009. It was Burbank’s largest margin of victory against Burroughs since a 28-0 shutout of the Indians in 1984. The Indians avoided what would have been their worst defeat in the history of the Big Game. Burbank pounded Burroughs 44-8 back in 1969. The Bulldogs outgained the Indians, 288 to 148. Burbank held the Burroughs ground game to 75 yards on 24 carries. In contrast, the Bulldogs rushed for 246 yards while controlling the line of scrimmage throughout the night. Sophomore James Williams rushed for 149 yards on 14 carries; including an 89-yard touchdown burst on Burbank’s first play of the second half that gave the Bulldogs a commanding 30-0 lead.

2013 – Burbank 47, Burroughs 21. Before a raucous capacity crowd at Memorial Field, Burbank won its second consecutive game against rival Burroughs, 47-21, in the 65th renewal of the “Big Game.” The Bulldogs had not beaten the Indians in back-to-back years since the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The victory marked the third win in the rivalry over the last five years for Burbank, its best stretch in the cross-town duel since winning three straight from 1983 through 1985. Meanwhile, the 26-point loss marked the worst defeat by Burroughs at the hands of Burbank since suffering a 28-0 loss to Burbank in 1984. It was the most points scored ever by Burbank against Burroughs in the 65-year history of the BIG GAME. The 47 points eclipsed the previous high set in 1969 in which Burbank won, 44-8. The one-two punch of James Williams (173 yards on 23 carries) and Joseph Pendleton (132 yards on 14 carries) was too much to handle for Burroughs as the two talented running backs sliced and diced their way to the tune of 305 combined rushing yards and six touchdowns. Leading 17-14 at halftime, the Bulldogs outscored the Indians, 30-0, in the third quarter en route to the easy victory. Burbank advanced to the CIF semifinals for the second time in its history and won a school-record 10 games on the season.

2014 – Burbank 16, Burroughs 10. For the third consecutive game, the Bulldogs were victorious against their cross-town rivals. The last time that happened was 1983, 1984 and 1985. Burbank quarterback Ryan Meredith completed 16 of 24 passes for 158 yards including a 21-yard touchdown pass to Nick Warren that proved to be the game winner late in the third quarter. Leading 9-7, Burbank’s Kyle Alvarez recovered an Indians fumble and one play later Meredith found Warren on a screen pass that resulted in a touchdown with 23 seconds to play in the third period. Burroughs committed five turnovers to aid the Bulldogs’ effort as BHS clinched third place in the Pacific League and an automatic playoff entry. The loss knocked JBHS from earning a postseason berth.

2015 – Burroughs 47, Burbank 21. The Indians rallied from an early 14-0 deficit to score 40 unanswered points en route to a resounding victory and with it the outright Pacific League championship, their first title since 2011. The win propelled Burroughs to a 10-2 season where the Indians advanced to the CIF quarterfinals and achieved their best season since 2006. Burbank jumped out to a quick 14-point lead only to see its cross-town rivals respond with 19 second quarter points. Junior Chance Bell (164 yards on 20 carries) broke off a nifty 76-yard touchdown run that gave the Indians a 26-14 advantage early in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Steven Hubbell (17 of 28 for 268 yards) threw five touchdowns to four different receivers as JBHS snapped the three game series win streak strung together by the Bulldogs. Burbank has never defeated Burroughs four straight times in the 67 year history of this phenomenal and historical rivalry.

After stumbling early, the Burroughs High football eventually found its stride, righted the ship and coasted to an impressive 47-21 Pacific League win over rival Burbank in the 67th “Big Game” on Friday night at Memorial Field before a capacity crowd.

The Indians buzzed through league play unscathed at 7-0, and closed out the regular season with a 9-1 record. This was the first time since 2006 that Burroughs has posted such gaudy numbers and its first league title since 2011.

What awaits is who the Indians, ranked No. 5 in the Southeast Division, will play in the CIF Southern Section playoffs next Friday. The opponent will be announced on Sunday.

Had the Bulldogs (6-4 and 5-2 league) prevailed, they would have shared the league title with the Indians, but instead finished in second place with Crescenta Valley.

In unlikely fashion, Burroughs fell behind 14-0, but then scored 40 unanswered points before allowing a late touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“We had a great game plan,” Burroughs coach Keith Knoop said. “It’s like a chess match. We were going to go where the defense led us.”

Knoop also spoke about being down two touchdowns, but wasn’t rattled. “On that first touchdown, it was a miscoverage. On the second touchdown, it was a great catch,” he said.

Once the Indians starting clicking on offense, it was pedal to the medal as senior quarterback Steven Hubbell tossed five touchdowns, including three in the first half.

The ground game churned out 208 yards and was led by junior tailback Chance Bell, who injured his shoulder in last week’s 34-3 victory over Crescenta Valley when the Indians were assured of a share of the league crown.

Bell accounted for a game-high 165 yards on 20 carries that included a 76-yard sprint with 10:07 left in the third quarter that gave the Indians a 26-14 lead.

On Burbank’s third series, junior quarterback Guy Gibbs moved the Bulldogs into the end zone on three plays that covered 40 yards, and capped the march with a 54-yard strike to junior wide receiver Forest Fajardo and 5:01 left in the opening quarter for a 7-0 lead.

The Bulldogs increased their lead to 14-0 when Gibbs drilled senior wide receiver Max Weisman with a 37-yard rocket and 1:42 left in the initial quarter.

“We had too many mental errors that we’re going to have to clean up,” said Weisman, who snared seven passes for 82 yards. “We can’t afford to make mistakes. Overall, it was a poor team effort. But this game is behind us and we’re looking forward to the playoffs.”

An onside kick was attempted and recovered by the Bulldogs, and it traveled the required 10 yards, but it didn’t bounce as required at the high school level. So instead of keeping the ball, a penalty was accessed and the Indians took over at their 45-yard line.

Burroughs, which holds a 42-25 series lead over Burbank, responded 17 seconds later with a one-play, 55-yard bomb from Hubbell to senior wide receiver Robert Awunganyi that cut the lead to 14-7.

“We wanted to come out and punch them in the mouth and they punched us in the mouth,” said Hubbell, who connected on 17 of 28 pass attempts for 265 yards. “There were some down faces, but I tried to remain calm and collected.”

Hubbell expects the Indians to do well in the playoffs. “This is a new season and we need a different focus,” he said.

The Indians (473 total net yards) moved within 14-13 when Hubbell directed Burroughs on a 65-yard, four-play march that was capped off when he found senior wide receiver Erick Hernandez with a 39-yard laser and 3:54 left before the half.

“We prepared very well this week and we stepped it up,” said Hernandez, who had three catches for 72 yards. “It’s just another step for us. We’ve just got to believe.”

Hernandez also addressed the early 14-0 deficit. “Those touchdowns were our mistakes,” he said. “But we came out energized after that.”

The Bulldogs (291 total yards) had a chance to increase their lead on a 40-yard field goal by senior Andrew Hank. But Burbank was penalized five yards and the kick was a 45-yarder that fell several yards short.

“We sputtered offensively and defensively,” Burbank coach Richard Broussard said. “We didn’t finish the game. We didn’t execute and we were sloppy. They made more big plays than we did.”

Broussard said the Bulldogs have been playing for their playoff lives several weeks. “We’ve been playing playoff games since the loss [21-20] to Muir,” he said.

With 21 seconds left before the half, Hubbell directed his team 70 yards and closed the drive with a 13-yard bullet to senior wide receiver Cade Borland (game-best 93 yards on eight catches), who was alone in the end zone as the Indians seized control, 19-14.

The points continued for the Indians who marched from their own 40-yard line and finalized the 11-play excursion with a two-yard toss from Hubbell to senior wide receiver Nick Mercado with 2:52 showing in the third quarter that made it 33-14.

When Burroughs’ stingy defense stopped Gibbs for no gain on fourth and one, Hubbell needed one play in order to locate Awunganyi (91 yards on three receptions) with a 32-yard pass and 7:31 left in the fourth quarter that made it 40-14.

Senior running back Ash Hawkins (25 yards on four carries) scored the final points for Burroughs on a 31-yard run that made it 47-21 with 15.7 seconds left.

Two possessions later, Gibbs and senior wide receiver Noah Powell (32 yards on two catches) hooked up on a 24-yard bomb and 3:08 left in the fourth quarter, but it was simply too little, too late.

The Bulldogs, who had a three-game winning streak against the Indians, were held to 87 yards on the ground and were led by sophomore running back Blake Quinteros, who had 63 yards on 12 carries.

“I think we were too confident we were going to win when we had the lead,” said Gibbs, who hit 16 of 27 for 204 yards and one interception by Awunganyi. “But we couldn’t execute. We still have four more weeks left in the season.”

Competition is the lifeblood of sports, and when it comes to cross-town high school rivals Burbank and Burroughs, it can mean even more.

The “myBurbank CUP” has been around two years, and for the second time the Indians have taken the prized trophy which was presented to the school recently at the Burroughs’ athletic department office. Burroughs defeated Burbank, 96-56, to conclude the 2014-15 athletic year.

Points are awarded based on head-to-head competition with the winning team getting one point in sports contested more than once, and two points when the sport is contested once.

If a team sweeps, it gets one point. If a team wins the league title, it receives four points, and an undefeated league title means five points. Add one point for a CIF Southern Section playoff appearance, two if the team wins one playoff game, three for two playoff victories, five for three playoff wins, seven for four wins, eight for four wins and a CIF title, and 10 points for five wins and a CIF crown.

If a team makes a state appearance, an additional two points are earned, four if the squad wins a state contest, six for two state victories, eight if the team wins a Southern California Regional game, and 12 points if the team takes the state championship.

“I’ve been part of athletics at Burroughs for a long time,” said Kenny Knoop, Assistant Principal of Athletics and Activities. “I was a football player. I’m a coach and I’m in the athletic department. I know everybody in the athletic department works really hard and the kids work really hard.”

Knoop went on: “When I played football here, we didn’t win many games. Wins were the icing on the cake. But I look at it as at least I got a chance to play, and I was blessed. It’s good to see so many of the programs successful. Of course, football gets a lot of attention because it’s the first sport starting the school year.”

Burroughs Principal Deborah Madrigal was thrilled her school prevailed over rival Burbank in claiming the “myBurbank CUP,” which is presented by Trophy King & Gifts of Burbank.

“I’m definitely proud of all the students who helped us win,” Madrigal said. “There’s a lot of hard work that goes in and working together to create the results. It’s the students, the staff and the coaches that helped us win.”

Madrigal believes winning the “myBurbank CUP” keeps school spirit alive and thriving. “It’s always nice to win,” she said. “When you win, the morale on campus is happy.”

Matt Chambers, Assistant Principal, was effusive in his praise for all concerned in helping Burroughs claim a second “myBurbank CUP.”

“I think the credit for our success in winning this trophy has to go to the athletic department,” he said, “and that’s Athletic Directors Jose Valle and Marty Garrison, along with athletic secretary Debbie Gudzin.”

Chambers added: “They have great support, but it starts at the top and it trickles down to the coaches and the athletes. There’s stability in the athletic department and with our coaches. There are 18 different coaches, and most of them have been around for many years. There’s continuity here and that helps being successful.”

Garrison has been a fixture at Burroughs for three decades. “For me, it’s about having great leaders,” he said. “People like Jon Lloyd and Brian Hurst. I think since 1948 until now, we’ve had five athletic directors. The guys stick around here. Everybody bought in here. We have stability. We teach more than winning. We don’t always have winning teams, but we have successful people.”

Garrison pointed to the cramped office he occupies and noted. “We do a lot with the space we have,” he said. “There’s a lot of dedication here.”

Nick Warren (rt) returns to lead a balanced offense for the Bulldogs (Photo by Dick Dornan)

By Dick DornanMyBurbank Sports Editor

With summer practice completed and fall training camp just around the corner, Burbank High School football coach Richard Broussard couldn’t contain his emotions when speaking about his Bulldogs.

“Midnight Madness. Can’t wait! We’re taking advantage of every minute we can,” Broussard proclaimed, whose ball club takes the field at 12:00 a.m. on August 3 for the beginning of the regular season. “The progress of this team has been great.”

Andy Reyes anchors the Burbank defense (Photo by Dick Dornan)

The Bulldogs will first practice and then spend the night under the lights sleeping on their football field. It’s the first practice of two-a-days and Broussard is jumping at the hip to get started. Why waste any time when you can start at midnight under the stars and full moon?!

Coming off the 2014 season where Burbank went 8-4 and placed third in the Pacific League with a 5-2 mark, Broussard returns a core of young talented players who gained valuable experience a year ago due to a rash of injuries up and down the roster. Thirteen players from the lower levels moved up to varsity to compensate for the injuries.

“We are young with 14 to 16 underclassmen starting for us this year. We’ve dealt with some peaks and valleys but we are peaking at the right time,” said the second-year head coach. “They are working hard. They are sponges. They are taking the life-lessons that we are teaching them on a day-to-day basis.”

In preparation for the regular season kick-off on August 28 at Monrovia, the Bulldogs spent their summer competing in 7-on-7 passing leagues every Wednesday and tournaments on the weekends. The highlight of the summer for BHS was participating in Nike’s 7-on-7 “team opening” at the Rose Bowl where only a handful of teams were invited.

“We did well. And we had fun playing football. That is what it is about,” Broussard said. “Hopefully they have learned some things about diligence and hard work and going out there with effort.”

Keep an eye out for a host of returners that should make an impact throughout the season. Offensive skill players include Aki Arlington, Brandon Alba, Noah Powell, Guy Gibbs, Nick Warren and Forrest Fajardo with David Medrano, Andy Reyes and Danny Porras leading the defense.

One newcomer whose last name will ring a bell but brings his own style of flash and dash is Darnell Williams, James Williams’ younger brother. Williams will add another dimension to Burbank’s up-tempo offense.

After the opener at Monrovia, Burbank returns home to play Ayala at Memorial Field on September 4 followed by Canyon on September 17 with a bye week in between. Pacific League action starts on September 25 at defending league champion Crescenta Valley.

The 2015 campaign promises to be an exciting one for the Bulldogs as long as they abide by the program philosophy.

“They just need to ‘E.A.T.T’ every day all day the entire time,” said Broussard.

Only the men in blue and white truly understand the acronym. It defines their persona and reveals their character.

When asked if he would rather ‘E.A.T.T’ or ‘F.E.A.S.T,’ Broussard responded with conviction and no hesitation.

“You eat every day and only feast two times a year….Christmas and Thanksgiving,” Broussard said. “I’d rather eat to live.”

Just a month away before the scoreboard gets lit up every Friday night

It’s never to early to begin thinking about high school football. The pomp and circumstance at Burbank and Burroughs signify the greatest trio of games a football fan could crave for every weekend: Friday night lights for high school football, College Football Saturday and the NFL on Sundays.

Both teams are hungry for a successful 2015 campaign. A summer review on both teams will be released in the coming days: July 28- Burbank; July 31- Burroughs

Coach Jamayne Potts instructs his team during a timeout (Photo by Dick Dornan)

By Dick DornanMyBurbank Sports Editor

One of the best young basketball players in the area resides at Burbank High and he is quickly rising through the ranks of the elite. Mike Woods has had a very good summer for the Bulldogs and it was quite evident how much he means to the team after his spectacular performance against Calabasas in a recent summer league game at BHS.

Mike Woods has elevated his game to an elite level (Photo by Dick Dornan)

Woods did a little bit of everything as he scored, assisted, rebounded and blocked shots time and time again. Add three dunks to the mix and Woods had the crowd going wild. But this Burbank squad is more than a one-man show.

Four seniors graduated last winter from a team that finished 12-15 and 4-10 in league. Jerry DeLaurie has since resigned and Coach Jamayne Potts has taken over the helm. Potts inherits a team with experience and several key returners. Woods, Ben Chavez, Ellie Hanno, Faraz Khandaker and Cameron Sweeten return giving Burbank a talented core of players for Potts to work with.

Potts has begun instilling his foundation with an emphasis on a winning attitude.

“Right now I am developing their mindset first. It’s a championship mentality. Everything we do right now is at a high level,” Potts said. “Eating right, training right, sleeping properly and getting their minds out of bad habits and into good habits. It’s the most difficult thing to do. We have spent a lot of time talking about my philosophy and the style I want to play. That’s been our focus right now.”

Burbank looked solid as they dominated Calabasas early and held on for the 50-41 summer league win.

Ellie Hanno drives to the basket against Calabasas (Photo by Dick Dornan)

The Bulldogs held a slim 12-9 advantage before they erupted on a 16-3 run to take a commanding 28-12 lead at halftime against the Coyotes. Chavez and Hanno hit back-to-back threes followed by a layup from Khandaker. Woods recorded assists on two of those baskets as he dictated the pace of play on both ends of the court.

The lead extended to 36-23 when Calabasas mounted a comeback cutting the deficit to 42-39 with nine minutes remaining. Then it was time for Woods to put his stamp on the game with his flare and pizzazz.

First, Woods came out of nowhere to swat a shot away flying high above the rim to deny the Coyotes of an easy two points. Then he broke free for a thunderous dunk followed by an around the back layup that pushed the lead to 48-39.

Woods, a young Doug Christie clone who seemingly glides up and down the court with ease, will spend the rest of his summer playing club basketball at a high level of competition.

Ben Chavez pulls up for a jumper (Photo by Dick Dornan)

Burbank has spent its first summer under Potts competing in the Cal Baptist Tournament, War on the Floor, Chavez Tournament and Providence Tournament while playing in summer leagues at Burbank and Buckley.

Potts enjoys this group of Bulldogs and gave his assessment thus far three months on the job.

“I would give us a B-. We have a lot of room for improvement,” said Potts, a former assistant coach at Calabasas and Cal Tech. “There’s more offensive structure that I want to put in and defensively as well. We have a lot of work to do. Maturity will be a factor that will dictate how our season goes.”

Potts was a highly regarded assistant coach who now has been given the keys to a program eager to make a positive impression in the Pacific League.

“I’m extremely proud. I was very picky about where I would get a varsity job. This place is a goldmine,” he said. “It has great administration, facilities are great, the players are good kids, the parents are very supportive and a lot of businesses are in the area. I was extremely happy to get this job.”

The 2015 baseball season ended five weeks ago and Burbank and Burroughs have since turned the page and begun moving forward. Ten All-League players have graduated from the two schools combined leaving a plethora of young talent ready to step up and fill their shoes.

On a mid-summer night’s VIBL matchup at Burbank High Monday night, the Bulldogs prevailed with a 4-1 victory over the Indians behind an outstanding pitching effort from Henry Leake. The junior fired a complete game five-hitter allowing one run, one walk while striking out seven.

“He was pretty lights out. He’s a warrior,” Burbank coach Bob Hart said. “He’s got a competitive edge to him and a pretty good poker face when it’s not going well. That’s a good recipe for success.”

Burroughs scored its lone run in the top of the second inning. Leake shut the door on the Indians the rest of the way as Burbank improved to 4-4 in the Valley Invitational Baseball League.

“I felt really good. I kept the ball low and they didn’t get too many hits. I had really good defensive support,” Leake said. “Winning this game feels really good. It gives us confidence and it is going to propel us.”

The Bulldogs played a solid game of small ball putting the pressure on the Indians defense multiple times.

Trailing 1-0, Jake Zedlar’s safety squeeze brought home Colby Vosgien. Jake Kelley’s single to left field plated Jeremy Chong giving BHS a 2-1 lead after four innings. Ky Tanner’s sacrifice bunt set up Kelley’s RBI single.

Burbank put two more runs on the board in the sixth courtesy of two push bunts up the first base line. First, Kelley drove in Chong with a perfectly placed bunt and moments later Leake put down a push bunt that brought confusion upon the Indians’ infield resulting in Tanner scoring and Leake earning an infield hit.

“We really emphasize that because we don’t have monster 350-foot home run guys,” Hart said of the Bulldog’s offense. “If we buy into that concept, it will be good for us. It puts pressure on the defense and it opens things up.”

Leake’s strong performance was indicative of his progress this summer. Hart has been very happy with what he has seen from Leake as well as the entire Bulldogs’ summer squad.

“Henry Leake has had an incredible summer for us,” Hart said. “He does everything we ask of him. He can pitch, catch and play any position on the infield for us. He’s improved his stock more than anybody.

“Talent wise we are probably not as talented of a group (as last year), but maybe a group that can win more games. They buy in to more of the simplistic team related goals that we have.”

Hart has been focusing on instilling a “competitive edge- bring the fire every inning” type of attitude that he hopes will define the 2016 Burbank team. Last season’s team finished 12-12.

Across the diamond the Indians struggled defensively on their bunt defense as they slipped to 10-6 on the summer. All nine starters graduated from a team that went 24-5 back in May. Despite the heavy losses to graduation, Burroughs has exceeded expectations winning 10 games this summer, tied for most in the VIBL, including significant wins over LA City champion El Camino Real (twice), Kennedy, Hart, Saugus (twice) and Crespi.

“From the first game I’ve seen a lot of improvement. We lost 15 seniors so we are a young team,” senior catcher Tanner Whitlock said. “Learning the speed of the varsity game is what we have been focusing on this summer. We’ve been getting better at that as the summer goes on.”

Whitlock had the game’s only extra base hit, a double in the fifth. Whitlock is making the transition from the infield to catcher, a position he hasn’t played since his freshman year.

“I’m rusty back there but I’m getting used to it and getting better every game,” he said. “I’m learning from every game and every pitch.”

Omar Tejeda led JBHS with two hits. Jesse Galindo threw four innings giving up two hits, two runs, four walks while striking out four.

It was only a summer league game but it provided a glimpse into the future of these two programs. Both teams are happy where they are at heading into July and the VIBL playoffs beginning July 10.

“We have two or three seventh inning wins this summer,” Whitlock said. “We are a scrappy team and we won’t go down without a fight.”

“This is the highest we’ve felt this summer,” said Leake of the win over their crosstown rivals. “I hope we keep playing like this every day and if we do we will be a really good team.”

The “myBurbank CUP” will be given to either Burbank or Burroughs in June of each year (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

By Dick DornanMyBurbank Sports Editor

Drum roll please….

Without further ado, it’s time to officially present the winner of the 2014-15 “myBurbank CUP” trophy presented by Trophy King and Gifts.

And the winner is…….John Burroughs High School!

By virtue of its 96-56 victory over Burbank High for the past athletic calendar year, the Indians have won the “myBurbank CUP” for the second consecutive campaign. Burroughs won the battle for the inaugural silver CUP a year ago by a 79-56 score.

A challenge was presented to each school’s athletic departments to compete and earn enough points to claim the newest trophy in town.

This coveted and stunning trophy will be annually recognized for “the spirit of cross-town competition and the pursuit of athletic excellence.”

The “myBurbank CUP” presented by Trophy King and Gifts will be presented in June of each year to the athletic department of either Burbank or Burroughs High School. The trophy will remain at the winning school to showcase to its community until the winner is decided the following year and so forth.

The winner between Burbank and Burroughs was determined by the accumulation of points based on head-to-head varsity competition and athletic achievement (league titles, playoff success, bonus points for season sweeps against each other) during the school year. This pertains only to team competition and not individual achievement.

During fall competition, Burbank took an early 32-30 lead by taking the head-to-head battles (11-9) while tying JB in athletic excellence (21-21). The highlight of the fall was the first-ever CIF championship in Burroughs’ history when the boys cross country team won the CIF Division I title.

Burroughs responded with a strong winter by knocking off Burbank, 20-8. This included a 6-3 advantage in head-to-head matchups and a 14-5 victory in athletic excellence.

The spring sports season arrived with Burroughs holding a 10-point margin, 50-40, in the race for the “myBurbank CUP.” An anticipated close duel turned out to be a mere afterthought as JBHS poured it on with a decisive 16-7 win in head-to-head competition and a 30-9 advantage in athletic excellence as the Indians rolled behind the league titles won by their baseball, boys volleyball and softball teams.

Burroughs took the spring by a total of 46-16 which resulted in a convincing 96-56 win in cumulative points to take ownership of the second annual “myBurbank CUP.”

We would like to thank Burbank’s own Trophy King and Gifts located at 1509 W. Magnolia Blvd. for their incredible kind gesture and generosity. They donated this spectacular trophy that will be kept each year at the winning high school. Please visit at http://burbanktrophies.com or call at (818) 848-3566.

The trophy features a base where each year Trophy King and Gifts will inscribe the winner of that year’s competition in either blue for Burbank or red for Burroughs.

On top of the base are beautiful acrylic pieces that feature the logos of both Burroughs and Burbank High School.

The top of the trophy features a magnificent silver cup that will stand out in the trophy case for the winning high school each year.

Wear your red or blue with school pride. Each athletic event now carries more meaning in the city than ever before. With that being said, best of luck to both schools next year as the battle for the “myBurbank CUP” resumes.

Did you know by simply clicking on the green box in the Sports section on the myBurbank home page will directly lead you to last year’s and this year’s “myBurbank CUP” results? Everything you need to know and more is there. Check it out!

Here are the 2014-15 results sport by sport; contest by contest; season by season-